Nashua Man To Serve 14-30 Years In Prison For Amherst Shooting

MANCHESTER, NH — Bryson Peluso, 30, of Nashua, shot and killed Brandon Kluz, 23, of Milford, at point-blank range in the chest in Amherst in November 2018 at a party.

On Thursday, Peluso appeared in Hillsborough County Superior court for sentencing to a manslaughter charge in a negotiated plea made in December 2020. He was originally facing a second-degree murder charge.

On Thanksgiving 2018, around 1 a.m., police were sent to Baboosic Lake Road for a report of a shooting. Witnesses accused Peluso of crashing a party and shooting Kluz. He died as a result of the gunshot.

Friends of Kluz, his teacher, and his parents gave emotional victim impact statements to Judge Anderson, many of them breaking down in tears. As statements were given, Peluso, on multiple occasions, broke down in tears and showed his emotions.

Relatives of Peluso including his fiancée and his mother gave emotional presentations to the court. Many spoke of Peluso and Kluz being childhood friends who worked on cars and spent a lot of time together. Peluso's mother apologized to the victim's family, and at one point hugged and embraced Brandon's mother in an emotion-filled moment.

The sentencing hearing lasted over three hours with victim impact statements and presentations from the Defense and NH Attorney Generals Office.

Judge David Anderson sentenced Peluso to 14 to 30 years in State Prison. Peluso will be given credit for the 897 days he has served while being held at Valley Street Jail. If Peluso does not have any disciplinary issues while in prison he will be released in just under 11.5 years.

Attorney Sven Wiberg, the lawyer representing Peluso had sought a sentence of 4-8 years. The state had asked for 15 to 30 years.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news